PFO Supplier Conformance
The ORA /Oil Care Campaign Code of Practice and Licensed Quality Scheme
Section 3 of the Processed Fuel Oil Quality Protocol sets out the detailed requirements that suppliers of these materials into England, Wales and Northern Ireland must meet in order to conform to regulatory standards. Similar requirements exist in Scotland. It is deemed a Duty of Care for users to ensure that products claimed to meet the Quality Protocol actually do so. The Oil Recycling Association and the Oil Care Campaign have jointly established a licensed audited scheme for PFO production. Holders of a current licence will have been subjected to an audit designed not only to ensure compliance with the Quality Protocol but to a wider standard encompassing their capabilities of managing incoming oil wastes, their storage and processing, as well as the supply and transportation of output fuel. The Oil Care Campaign was set up by the Environment Agency in association with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Northern Ireland Environment Agency and industry associations to reduce oil pollution by providing guidance on and facilities for the safe disposal and management of oil. It comprises a wide number of cross party interests from Government, Regulators, Local Authorities and a number of Oil Industry Trade Associations representing suppliers and users of petroleum products. Current Registered members are listed below with registration expiry dates:
Legislation Overview
Important Hazardous Waste and Recycling Information can be found on the UK Government (DEFRA) Website.
Hazardous Waste Legislation
This is a complex matter involving detailed permitting/licensing procedures and usually the concept of audit trails. ORA recommend to those wishing to understand the policies and framework of UK legislation to search the DEFRA web pages.
End of Waste
An important concept of European waste legislation is that once something is a waste it remains controlled within waste legislation until it stops being a waste. A recovery/recycling operation or waste treatment procedure alone does not necessarily confer End of Waste status on the substances or materials being treated.
This area is fraught with legal complexity but is truly pertinent to the case for the reuse of previously used oils. ORA members can offer to guide enquirers on this topic and its relevance to certain classes of fuels that can be given official end of waste status and thus used essentially uncontrolled from the requirements of waste legislation. These are generically called Processed Fuel Oils.
UK Hazardous Waste Regulations
Hazardous Waste Regulations are appropriate to England, Scotland and Northern Ireland being derived from EU ΓÇÿumbrellaΓÇÖ waste Directives. There are however different interpretations within the UKΓÇÖs regions and its devolved governments / associated regulatory regimes, so please check accordingly.
This important information for across the United Kingdom can be found at:
- England and Wales
- Northern Ireland
- Scotland
ORA members of course will be pleased to help waste producers to manage their waste both legally and responsibly.
